LAKE OROVILLE: More king salmon seekers are showing up at the lake, but the action remains limited to the possibility of a fish at best on a hoochies behind a green flasher. Bass fishing remains solid for spotted bass bass to 2.5 pounds with Bass Union custom umbrella rigs loaded with 3.5-inch Keitech swimbaits in Pro Blue, Red Pearl, or Arkansas Shine. Heavier weights on the inside live hooks keep the larger swimbaits toward the bottom, enticing more strikes. The reaction bite is best first thing in the morning. The lake continues to rise, jumping up from 38 to 41 percent, and there is floating and submerged debris on the lake. Boaters have to be cautious. Four tournaments are scheduled in February in addition to the American Bass Association tournament on February 12th and the Wild West Bass Trails two-day event on February 19/20th.
TRINITY RIVER, Willow Creek: The lower Trinity dropped back into fishable shape this week and is a good option for winter steelhead. Fishing pressure remains light in the Willow Creek area and the fishing should only get better the next few weeks. As of Sunday, flows were down to 5,350 cfs on the Hoopa gauge and dropping.
AMERICAN RIVER/Above Folsom: Water levels remain high and unfishable but the flows have dropped significantly from 1039 to 625 cfs at Chili Bar. The American River watershed above Folsom Dam will be closed for bait fishing or retention of trout until the week prior to Memorial Day.
AMERICAN RIVER/Sacramento: Recent conditions have improved. The steelhead are there but you will have to work for them. Fishing is still best along the bank below the hatchery and on the lower side of Sailor Bar. Roe under a bobber has been best. Beads have also been working. Fly anglers throwing rubber legs, Prince Nymphs, and Bird’s Nest flies have been picking up a fish or two. Lots of fish holding below the ladder. Water levels at Fair Oaks have dropped to 3829 cfs, and conditions are good.
FEATHER RIVER: River levels have settled down, and water flows at Gridley are steady at 809 cfs. Steelhead should be moving in above the Thermalito Afterbay to the hatchery. Fish will hold along the apron at the Afterbay and can be fished with roe or beads under an indicator or along the bank, pools, or riffles up to the hatchery.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Keswick Reservoir to Red Bluff: River flows from Keswick to Anderson have dropped to 3200 cfs. and the river is fishing well. Guides working the Sacramento below the Keswick and through Redding are seeing good numbers of trout up to 24-inches. Bottom bouncing egg sacs has been best. Fly fishermen in the drift boats are seeing improved catches using roe or Prince nymphs, rubber legs, and Bird’s Nests under a bobber and are also seeing fish up to 24 inches. Larger fish remain up near Redding with greater numbers down around the Barge Hole. Water flows at Battle Creek good at 338 cfs.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Red Bluff to Chico: Water levels are high, but conditions are improving, and it could be fishable this week. More striped bass have been moving into the system, and the nighttime action has been solid for experienced guides.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Metro area: Fishing remains slow. Some sturgeon reportedly being marked on the bottom, but water temperatures are still low and need to get up into the mid 50’s for the bite to turn on. If the weather stays consistent this bite should pick up in a couple of weeks. Stripers still down river. Water flows at Freeport continue to fluctuate as much as 1000 cfs. every couple of days. Fishing should pick up once the flows stabilize.
LAKE SHASTA: Jeff Goodwin reported the watercolor is slightly stained, and surface temps are running 48-50 degrees. Shad are showing in most areas of the lake, which is unusual, but welcomed. Debris is becoming a factor for trollers. The trout are looking great, and he is seeing lots of rainbows, a few browns, and the occasional king salmon depending on where he is fishing. Slow rises in the lake should keep fishing conditions good for the foreseeable future. Kirk Portocarrero reported some nice bass slow fishing plastics. Anglers fishing the Wild West Bass Trails, and the Phil’s Propeller Team tournaments enjoyed near perfect conditions with a majority of the boats making it to the scales. Eric Padilla and Ryan Duchi placed first in the WWBT leading the field of 163 boats with a combined bag weight of 14.24 pounds and a big fish weight of 3.97 pounds. 118 boats followed up on Sunday during the Phil’s Propellers tournament. The lake rose to 34 percent.
The weekly fishing report, compiled by Western Outdoor News, highlights the best angling opportunities in the north state.
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